I still find wood-trimmed station wagons, produced as late as the early ’50s, to be a phenomenon. In earlier decades it made sense, but by 1952 and “modern” automobile construction techniques in place, it’s hard to imagine that the extra cost and effort of wood lathing and finger jointing made economic sense. I’m glad manufacturers like Buick, in the case of this ’52 Roadmaster Estate, continued to do so, they are always an interesting find and study. This Buick wagon is located in Los Alamos, California and is available, here on eBay for an opening bid of $25,000. Thanks to T.J. for this find!
Buick offered two estate wagons in ’52, the “Super Estate”, identified by its three “venti ports” on either front fender or the full tilt “Roadmaster Estate” with its four venti ports attesting to its vehicular supremacy. And who thought “Roadmaster” was a sound moniker anyway? It doesn’t matter, while not a likely pick for model identification today, it is a venerable name that Buick employed into the 1990s.
Claimed to be a barn find, the seller states that this wagon is one of only 359 built and Keith Martin’s Sports Car Market confirms that 359 Roadmaster Estates were, in fact, produced with the assistance of the Ypsilanti Reed Furniture Company of Ionia, Michigan in 1952. The seller adds, “Car was sitting in a warehouse for over 30 years. The car is in incredible shape, NO rust, NO major body damage, wood is all there and SOLID“. From what can be seen, this Buick does appear to be stout with a needed wood refinishing at best – but probably not requiring actual wood replacement. And that’s a good thing too as one would need the skills of an experienced cabinet maker to effect proper wood replacement.
Pulling this wagon around is a 170 gross HP, 320 CI “Fireball” straight-eight engine that “turns freely“. OK, that’s good to know as if it’s not seized, there’s a better chance of returning it to running status. Of course, the devil will be in the details. A Buick “Dynaflow” automatic transmission drives the rear wheels of this 4,500 lb. wagon.
The images of the interior are very limited and that may be because the seller suggests, “The interior is in ok shape for original and still has a full headliner intact!” Perhaps he didn’t want to show its foibles and that’s unfortunate as what is photographed looks to be pretty fair. Anyway, the dashboard and instrument panel are certainly a work of art and from what can be seen, the front seat upholstery looks OK. If you look closely, you can see a myriad of cobwebs – they look like the fake ones that you see at a Halloween haunted house exhibit but I imagine these are the real thing.
The seller opines, “This car been sitting in a barn for many years and needs someone that will give it the attention it needs”. I certainly agree with that sentiment, how about you?
I’d have avoided getting the wood wet, duh. Very cool-looking car, and probably worth the money owing to it’s rarity.
I do have a 1952 Chris Craft, if it was nearer I’d be installing a trailer hitch on it !
Whomever buys it please just restore to original.It’s a SW and a Woodie.
Definitely an intriguing find and a well-written write-up commensurate with Jim O’Donnell’s high standards. I appreciate the depth of information Jim brings to his assessments, but I do take exception to disparaging the name “Roadmaster”. I thinks it’s iconic and harks back to an era when lots of automotive names were intentionally pretentious. Studebaker offered a ‘Dictator’ for pete’s sake; Nash had the Ambassador; REO had the Flying Cloud; and who can forget the Apperson Jackrabbit?
It was intended to be tongue in cheek. My late mother-in-law had a ’95 Roadmaster and we used to call it the Road Cochon.
Thx,
JO
8 MPG , Jim ?
Hey ccrvtt, funny you mentioned Apperson. Here’s a photo I bought at the Chelsea flea market in Manhattan a few years back. I think the car is an Apperson “Chummy”.
I don’t know if any of you recall the sound Buicks with the Dynaflow transmission made when accelerating. It was a smooth humming sound that was unique in the early 50s versions that went away in the later 50s cars.
I’ve been a woodworker for decades, and I don’t know WHO did it, but the wood on this car has been wet. Whether some fool took a scrub brush to it to clean it up or left it sit out in the rain? But that is water staining all over the wood. It might clean up if bleached with oxalic acid, but that’s a stretch. It also appears that it’s been painted and the clear coat is peeling to me. I’m thinking someone who didn’t know what they were doing tried to fix it up. As someone who has bought a car that was screwed up by previous owners attempts at fixing something I can tell you just how frustrating it is.
From the pictures it looks like it was freshly washed. You can see the wet ground and the hose in the background. Stupid move. Before anything can be done to it now it is going to have to dry out for weeks and hope the wood doesn’t warp.
Nice looking car. I’d pay the asking price if it was in nicer condition than it is. As it is, I’d probably pay close to $15,000 for it. That would leave enough money for restoration.
Some Olde English furniture polish and she’ll be good as new!
” who thought “Roadmaster” was a sound moniker?”
When I was a kid, we called these Buicks “Roadbastards”, behind our parent’s backs, of course.
The National Woodie Club uses a 10% survival estimate for a count of how many have survived to modern day. That would leave 35 or 36 of this model. I happen to be one of those 35 owners so I know this wagon well. Being a poor man in a rich man’s hobby AND having chosen to do a ground up restoration (given the atrocious condition of my wagon when I picked it up 20 years ago for $3,000.), I can tell you that if this wagon is rust free and if it’s otherwise in the condition stated, it’s well worth the opening bid of $25k. You can drop $25k on plating alone. I think I’d refinish the wood, buff the brightwork, get the engine 100% and drive her. I had the advantage of being a woodworker and teacher of carpentry so I was able to make a new body for my wagon but if this wagon needed all new wood as mine did, you’d be dropping $30k to $40k on that alone.
Beautiful car. Refinish the wood, redo the chrome and get it running. Just need a dry , dry place to keep it, I would guess. I guess you’d have to be really careful…
My daddy owned a number of ’40s and ’50s Buick Supers and would refer to these as “Roadmonsters”. He said they could pass everything on the highway but a gas station. :)
My dad sold cars all his life. I’m 79 tomorrow. He call it a “Roadhog” when he was selling Mercury’s. But it was a great car when he was selling Buicks.
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What a great automobile and deserving of the moniker Roadmaster. That’s because that’s exactly what they were comfortable, dependable and the envy of those who bought other cars. When I was young I spent a great deal of time hunting in the Blue Ridge Mountains. You would often come across an old sawmill being run by a Buick straight eight. All that was needed was a hose a a barrel of water to keep her cool ☮️
There are 51 and 53 Roadmaster woodies on Ebay at $50K and $75K. I’d get the 52 running, properly cleaned up and drive it as is (if only I had $25K available)
I would love to save this car and add it to our collection. But I know how I am. I would want it perfect. So, starting at 25K makes it impossible, unless someone has deep pockets and doesn’t mind having too much invested.
But, it sure would look nice in my garage.
Beautiful car but I beg to differ about the wood being solid. I see cracks and damage at the top of the first close up of the rear.
170 horsepower from a Buick straight eight? Seems higher than I remember. I know some Packard eights packed pretty high numbers.
You’re probably thinking of the 263 CI straight 8 used in the Buick Super. It was rated at 128 HP.
JO